Guns top Christmas wish lists and the industry seems to be booming

Shop owners across the US have reported a marked increased number of interest over the holiday season, and firearm background checks hit a new record on Black Friday

This year, among the socks and sweaters, bottles of wine, a large number of Americans will find another present: handguns.

Gun shop owners across the US have reported a marked increased number of interest in their products over the holidays. In November, the FBI operated more than 2.2 m gun background checks, a 24% increase from last year. Gun background checks hit a new record on Black Friday, when 185,345 were processed by the FBI.

FBI background checks, which are processed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check system, are not the most accurate indicator of actual firearm marketings. The checks are conducted for federally licensed firearm buys and for permits to carry handguns. A background check does not mean that a firearm was purchased. Shoppers can also purchase multiple handguns with one sale, which requires just one background check. However, manufacturers rely on the background check statistics to measure how the industry is do.

This holiday season, the industry seems to be booming.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, many shoppers looked to purchase a firearm on Black Friday. Belinda Gallegos, who is a co-owner of ABQ Guns, told KOAT Action 7 News that most of those people were shopping for handguns as Christmas gifts.

Theyll come in, then theyll be looking and theyll leave, then Ill get a bellow: Hey, remember that firearm “were in” looking at? Well, she really liked it so I am going to come get it. Dont tell her. Five minutes later, Hey, remember that gun he really liked? said Gallegos.

Kelly Womack, who is a co-owner of Fort Chaffee Outfitters in Arkansas, said her store sold 40 handguns on Black Friday and a lot of this organization is gifts. What we didnt sell in handguns, we sold in accessories, which were gifts, Womack told KFSM, a local Tv station.

Vesta Parks checks out a handgun as she prepares to buy Tim Schneider, left, one as a Christmas present at the National Armory gun store on 23 December in Pompano Beach, Florida. Photograph: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images

According to Womack, buying handguns as Christmas presents is legal as long as it is for someone in the same nation and all of the appropriate paperwork is filled out. It is illegal to purchase a gun for someone who is not legally allowed to have one. Those receiving the firearm also should not be paying for the firearm thats intended as a gift.

If Mr Smith asked Mr Jones to purchase a firearm for Mr Smith, and Mr Smith devotes Mr Jones the money for the handgun, thats clearly not a gift, explained Womack.

In North Carolina, the New Hanover County sheriff is recommending those planning to give person a gun for Christmas to do their research.

Know that they can possess that firearm, Lieutenant Jerry Brewer told the local Tv station, WECT. If theres any outlying issues in terms of being a offender, theres some other issues there, some other laws. Make sure they can possess that firearm, if they cant, theres no phase in buying it.

The sheriffs office also fostered everyone giving and receiving handguns for Christmas to learn how to take caution with their newly bought firearm.

Its not something you want to purchase, stick in a closet and never employ, explained Brewer. You need to know how to break it down you need to know how to clean it, you need to know how to use it. Whether thats going with a family member to practice shooting, we have multiple shooting ranges here.

Justin Lampert, right, helps Kim Boros check out different handguns as her daddy prepares to buy her one as a Christmas present at the National Armory gun store. Photograph: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images

In Kingsport, Tennessee, among those hoping to get a gun for Christmas were 27 -year-old Cory Edson, who was looking for his first firearm, and eight-year-old Curtis Childress, who has been shooting since he was four.

Gun marketings are up, especially this month for us. We are more likely doubled last months marketings, Gary Wells, proprietor of Freedom Firearms where the two were shopping, told WCYB.

Kevin Sherin and Melissa Sherin shop for a gift at the National Armory gun store. Photograph: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images

Louis Cole was browsing the shelves at Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna, Georgia when he was approached by Gabe Gutierrez, a reporter with Today indicate. Cole already owns a firearm. He was there, shopping for his wife.

Like any good husband, I asked for the list of Christmas items that youd like to have and one of the items was a handgun, Cole told. Above jewelry was a firearm.